[Dota 2] This week on Dota 2: Brood update, unreleased hero texture work, and PRD.

SkabSkab Registered User regular
edited November 2012 in Games and Technology
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What is this Dota you speak of?
Defense of the Ancents was originally created in Warcraft 3 by the mapmaker Eul, and was based off of the Starcraft custom game Aeon of Strife. When WC3: The Frozen Throne was released Eul stopped updating the map, which then caused a flood of different varients to appear across battle.net. Among them was DotA Allstars, which was created by Guinsoo, which became main version that we have today. During Guinsoos time, Pendragon came along and made dota-allstars.com in reponse to the need for a main dedicated website for the growing community. With version 6.01, Guinsoo passed authorship off to Icefrog, who started adding new heroes, items, mechanics and fixes, and still runs the game to this day.

Guinsoo and Pendragon would later go on to work at Riot and help create League of Legends, while Icefrog and Eul would go on to work at Valve and are now working on Dota 2.

Dota 2 is the sequel to that popular Warcraft 3 custom game that has since spawned an entire genre with the likes of League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth. If you have played either of those games then you have a basic idea of how things work.

Gameplay remains true to the original Dota, but takes advantage of everything the source engine and Steam have to offer. Besides better graphics, this means things like reconnecting, being able to spectate any match currently in progress even while waiting in que for matchmaking, and no longer having this happen to you
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New to the game and want to learn? The following links will get you started. Dota has a massive learning curve, so you wont learn everything here, but it should be enough to get you on your feet.
(Credit for this list actually goes to Gully State over on Gaf.)

First

Second (Warning, these are long.)


"Hey, I'm freaking amazing at LoL so I should be good at this too, right?"
Not exactly. While at their core they are similar, there are some some key differences that make the meta/feel/pace different. Some of these include things like the way carry heroes work, denying, gold loss on death, towers behaving differently, runes, a larger map, a str/agi/int based stat system, more active/useable items, and more.

Heroes & Items

There are currently 108 heroes in Dota, and while all of them will be coming over to Dota 2, only about 3/4s of the hero pool is available in the current beta build. Currently we get about one new heroes a week, with Valve sometimes surprising us with either more or none at all.

Current hero pool: http://www.dota2wiki.com/wiki/Heroes
Items: http://www.dota2wiki.com/wiki/Items

Curious what heroes are on their way? http://www.dota2wiki.com/wiki/Unreleased_Content

Other Useful Links

http://blog.dota2.com
http://www.joindota.com/en/start

Announcement art (also in the valve store as posters)
dota2_onesheet_drowranger.jpg

dota2_onesheet_lina.jpg

dota2_onesheet_morphling.jpg

dota2_onesheet_bloodseeker.jpg

(This OP is a work in progress, more info will be added as more people are able to get their hands on the game.)

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Posts

  • CorriganXCorriganX Jacksonville, FLRegistered User regular
    I like how Drow and Lina look nothing like their posters now.

    n1woEHJ.png
    CorriganX on Steam and just about everywhere else.
  • TheLawinatorTheLawinator Registered User regular
    Kinda like those looks better.

    My SteamID Gamertag and PSN: TheLawinator
  • JerkbotJerkbot some kind of hypnotist Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    Ugh, the latest patch makes this game use 97% of my CPU and lag awfully. Any advice?
    EDIT: There was another small patch. Maybe there's a stealth fix.

    Jerkbot on
    VyQGM.jpg
  • hadokenhadoken Registered User regular
    I love Poster Lina, she looks like a bitch.

  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    I think there's enough space in the title to put "The International 2012" in full. Speaking of which, some INTERNATIONAL HYPE PICTURE

    xafDh.jpg

    (Source is Cyborgmatt, and preemptive "yes page not all of these will be seen but still NEAR DOUBLED HERO POOL")

    Dac Vin on
  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    so much hate

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  • reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    I just hope that we're not going to see fucking Anti-Mage in every fucking game like what happened in 2011.

    Templar Assassin for president 2012!

  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    reVerse wrote: »
    I just hope that we're not going to see fucking Anti-Mage in every fucking game like what happened in 2011.

    Templar Assassin for president 2012!

    The good news: Anti-Mage fell out of favor in the metagame!

    The bad news? he's been replaced by Morphling.

  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    The best news is that they both lose to sa.

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  • FlipprDolphinFlipprDolphin Registered User regular
    i guess im blind, i dont know who sa is

  • milskimilski Poyo! Registered User regular
    Rikimaru, the Sneaky Asshole Stealth Assassin

    I ate an engineer
  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    He's not the last stealth guy you'll see.

  • 3cl1ps33cl1ps3 I will build a labyrinth to house the cheese Registered User regular
    I love that Rubick is big in the metagame. He's so much fun to watch.

    I also like that Tinker is back. Tinker is rad.

  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    Since it comes up every time there's a bit tournament, we may as well get one of the classic dota myths properly debunked.

    Primarily the idea that scourge has an inherent advantage because of the way roshan is placed on the map. Statistically, and I believe this is the cast in dota 1 as well, sentinel wins more games than scourge. According to dota academy's competitive stats, over the course of 1654 competitive dota 2 matches sentinel has 774 wins, while scourge has 765. Much more relevant is that the team with first pick (not first ban) has 799 wins vs 745 wins for second pick. Of course, picks and sides are always flipped between games anyway, so things even out in the end. Regardless, the roshan advantage really ain't that big of a deal.

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  • SkabSkab Registered User regular
    Dac Vin wrote: »
    I think there's enough space in the title to put "The International 2012" in full.

    Yeah I originally had more after it, which is why it was shortened. I'm to lazy to change it now.

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  • mynameisguidomynameisguido Registered User regular
    I love Rubick. Getting Shackleshot when you have Telepathy already is nasty.

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  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    Valve: "We're not sure about Techies. Some people really like them, some people really hate them."

    I guess this is the reason Riot deploys the term anti-fun?

    Whatever, Techies for life.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM-Z0LokQo0&feature=plcp

    (We come in peace!)

    Competitive Gaming and Writing Blog Updated in October: "Song (and Story) of the Day"
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  • PeewiPeewi Registered User regular
    Bots are weird sometimes. I was practicing jungling the ancients as Tinker and none of the bots on my team would take mid. I guess they consider the ancient area part of the mid lane.

  • valiancevaliance Registered User regular
    Drool wrote: »
    Blendtec wrote: »
    Last night I did my 5th game as Lion and as Drow. I feel like I'm terrible as Lion, I tend to die a lot and be on losing teams where I don't even have a chance to get a real build going. On Drow even on losing teams I get at least 7 kills, usually 12+ with only a few deaths and even more assists. Skill bar? Over 5 for Lion, about 2 for Drow. I don't understand.

    The skill bar is based on how well you farm compared to people your skill level. So most likely you are spending too much time farming with Lion which is why you are losing. You should be ganking and buying wards and stuff. I play a decent Lion and I have like two bars because most people take him mid, but I usually end up babysitting when I pick him. Most people who play Drow farm all day so you need to get a lot of items each game to raise that bar.

    so skill bars are based on farm? that sorta makes sense... kinda... not really D:

  • Vi MonksVi Monks Registered User regular
    Peewi wrote: »
    Bots are weird sometimes. I was practicing jungling the ancients as Tinker and none of the bots on my team would take mid. I guess they consider the ancient area part of the mid lane.

    There should be an option to just tell bots on your team where to go. Also to tell them whether or not they should be the one farming in lane. I know tweaking bots like this can't be very high on the priority list, but it'd be nice to have.

  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    Mines are the most unfun thing you can put in a game and have no place here. Woo, you killed someone because he strayed in the place you jerked off thirty minutes ago, I hope you feel proud of yourself.

  • hadokenhadoken Registered User regular
    But when you are the wanker that did the job, my god is it glorious.

  • TehSpectreTehSpectre Registered User regular
    Techies 4 lyfe

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  • VishNubVishNub Registered User regular
    Techies were fucking awesome. I lost more games than I won, but I was 20-2 anyways, so who cares.

  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    Continuing the hatred of the current title and OP: The International starts on August 27th, not 31st.
    Schedule The International 2012:
    27 August, Monday - Group phase
    28 August, Tuesday - Group phase
    29 August, Wednesday - Rest day / Travel day (for press and casters)
    30 August, Thursday - Rest day
    31 August, Friday - Playoffs
    01 September, Saturday - Playoffs
    02 September, Sunday - Playoffs (final day)

    (source)

  • BlendtecBlendtec Registered User regular
    CorriganX wrote: »
    I like how Drow and Lina look nothing like their posters now.

    I'm sure it's old news but...
    1YauZ.jpg

    First game I did last night our Windrunner was 0-7 and just hit level 2 5 minutes into the match. Then my last game we had a Tidehunter do the same thing. He was with a friend who kept claiming it was my fault TH was dying. Yeah, cause me being top with Necro while I was lagging like crazy is totally what made TH die 7 times bot.

  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    Yay Lebron is back wodota can be good again!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb8Ypsk7yFg&feature=g-all-u

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  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    Lebron is not important, there's a Meepo in that top 10

  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    There is often a meepo when some dorky editor isn't focused on putting 5 different armlet toggles in the same countdown.

    Competitive Gaming and Writing Blog Updated in October: "Song (and Story) of the Day"
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  • nealcmnealcm Alvarian AlvarianRegistered User regular
    all i want to do

    is feed as meepo

    19ZUtIw.png
  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    Is everyone on a losing streak!

    I'm not even, but I've been playing so poorly that it still feels like it.

    Competitive Gaming and Writing Blog Updated in October: "Song (and Story) of the Day"
    Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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  • Dac VinDac Vin S-s-screw you! I only listen to DOUBLE MUSIC! Registered User regular
    Well I've slowly inching my way back to a even W/L, haven't reached it yet but considering I dropped to -30 when I started playing and am at around -10 now, I am doing very fine.

    God bless Venomancer and Sand King for being so good.

  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    I just saw that pretty much everyone on my friends list is under 40% win rate in their recent games! I feel even worse for trolling last night.

    Competitive Gaming and Writing Blog Updated in October: "Song (and Story) of the Day"
    Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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  • Dark_SideDark_Side Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    Page- wrote: »
    Is everyone on a losing streak!

    I'm not even, but I've been playing so poorly that it still feels like it.

    I've been winning more than losing, but haven't felt like I've been playing all that well either. I'm only winning because I'm picking super strong heroes like Tide. Which is funny as the skill bar has me in the mid 1 bar range with him, but he's my most successful and well played hero at the moment. When I lose though, it's usually been pretty bad. I still can't carry either, which is going to be problem sooner than later.

    Edit: The worse thing about playing Tide though is that everyone thinks they know how to play him better than you. People think I'm to liberal with my ult, hell if I'm about to die, I'm popping that shit, or if BH is going to get away, i'm popping it. It's CD is low enough that it will almost always be back up in time for team fight.

    Dark_Side on
  • milskimilski Poyo! Registered User regular
    TH's ult cooldown is one of the longest in the game and even lategame death timers after a major fight are shorter than the cooldown. If you are about to die, popping your ult doesn't do anything if it doesn't actually save your life or let you trade.

    I ate an engineer
  • nealcmnealcm Alvarian AlvarianRegistered User regular
    i've been on some bad losing streaks lately

    for the first like 5 months i had my dota invite i was doin amazing, mad win streaks, i was like +80 wins over losses

    now i mean i am still +30 or so i think but it doesnt feel like it. going on my stats.dota2.be page every page of games i've had (which is 10 games long by default) has more losses on it than wins. so much red... so much red...

    now naturally it is that very normal thing where you remember pain way easier than pleasure so you think you just lose all the time at this game but like, fuuuuuuuck i feel like i am playing like shit lately

    19ZUtIw.png
  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    There's also that, because I'm a prick, I tend to troll when I'm x number of games above .500 because fuck it.

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  • AuralynxAuralynx Darkness is a perspective Watching the ego workRegistered User regular
    edited August 2012
    I should not have watched that video. I now understand what Force Staff is for and am going to start buying it whenever I am ahead gold the way I've been doing with Necronomicon so I can learn to use it worth a crap.

    Auralynx on
  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    force staff vs blink dagger

    blink: 14 second cd, 1200 range blink (if used correctly) cannot be used if hero damage was sustained in the last 4 seconds.

    force staff: 20 second cd, 600 range push, can be used on allies and enemies.

    It would seem natural for many or most heroes to get a force staff over a blink dagger. Force staff has stats! It's cheaper! It has a better build up! It can save allies! It can be used in situations where blink dagger can't.

    However, keep in mind that force staff only pushes the unit, while blink dagger actually blinks the unit. There is an important distinction! Pushing a unit doesn't disjoint shit, which means that every attack that hero was going to get hit by is still going to hit them. Blink dagger is a proper blink, so it disjoints 95% of projectiles and nukes. It can actually dodge stuff, which force staff can never do. This is especially important when you factor in that all items have 0 casting time. Blink dagger is even faster than am's blink.

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  • AuralynxAuralynx Darkness is a perspective Watching the ego workRegistered User regular
    edited August 2012
    Page- wrote: »
    force staff vs blink dagger

    blink: 14 second cd, 1200 range blink (if used correctly) cannot be used if hero damage was sustained in the last 4 seconds.

    force staff: 20 second cd, 600 range push, can be used on allies and enemies.

    It would seem natural for many or most heroes to get a force staff over a blink dagger. Force staff has stats! It's cheaper! It has a better build up! It can save allies! It can be used in situations where blink dagger can't.

    However, keep in mind that force staff only pushes the unit, while blink dagger actually blinks the unit. There is an important distinction! Pushing a unit doesn't disjoint shit, which means that every attack that hero was going to get hit by is still going to hit them. Blink dagger is a proper blink, so it disjoints 95% of projectiles and nukes. It can actually dodge stuff, which force staff can never do. This is especially important when you factor in that all items have 0 casting time. Blink dagger is even faster than am's blink.

    Oddly enough, my awareness of some of that was what was making me favor blink. Seeing that Lion be a colossal pain in the ass with both has convinced me that force doesn't stink, which I shouldn't have needed convincing of due to my time in HoN being an enormous jerk with Witch Hunter with one.

    Possibly it is a Lion-specific thing, considering those two are brothers from a different mother, and all.

    Auralynx on
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